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HF022
7:10:30 PM Josh: So, I'm gonna start. 7:11:53 PM Josh: Previously, you guys busted a drug deal (mostly), arrested an evil-doer (kinda), adopted some kenku servants (in a way) and met a potential group of new enemies (possibly). 7:12:21 PM Josh: William said he'd get back to you with payment once he works out how to actually pay you. 7:12:58 PM Josh: In the meantime, you guys have met Gerald, the leader of the Kenku, who is oddly articulate (he has a voice and mannerism like Alfred from the 90s Batman cartoon). 7:13:42 PM Josh: Over the past few days, they've helped Torra and Helga with the modifications and, while you gave them rooms upstairs, you rarely seem to find them there. They seem to just go and come as they please. 7:14:03 PM Josh: Rune, you began some bookkeeping and Gerald is willing to assist you with that (he can also cook). 7:14:31 PM Josh: Also, a few of you said there were things you wanted to work on, and now, I'd like those of you who did to make rolls for that. 7:15:09 PM Josh: Rune, please roll an Arcana check. Hank, investigation And Anna...just give me a straight CHA roll. 7:15:28 PM Josh: Quill, if you have anything you wanted to do over the past...three days, roughly, let me know. 7:31:42 PM Josh: Ok, so, you guys awaken a few days later. Progress made on all you deals. 7:32:44 PM Josh: Creed is sleeping in today. 7:33:01 PM Josh: She's probably done some training with Tiprus and got worn out. 7:34:01 PM Anna: Anna heads to the common area. Chitterscreech is perched upon her head, nibbling on something. 7:34:44 PM Quill: Quill is sitting in the common area with his lute and a notebook. 7:34:52 PM Rune: Rune brings her paperwork out there with her and starts a pot of tea. 7:35:28 PM Rune: Rune brings Taeral too. 7:35:36 PM Josh: Two kenku are cleaning. One of them looks at Chitterscreech with a hungry look, but the other keeps him inline. You guys made it very clear what could and could not be eaten. 7:35:53 PM Rune: Rune waves at the kenku. 7:36:16 PM Rune: I had something to show you all, but I don't know if you'll like it. 7:36:26 PM Josh: Gerald is preparing breakfast in the kitchen. 7:36:33 PM Hank: Hank heads in to the common area as well. 7:36:54 PM Anna: If you feel it is important, whether or not we like it is irrelevant. 7:37:17 PM Josh: Taeral: "I concur." 7:37:26 PM Rune: Well, I don't know if it's important exactly. It's just an idea I had. 7:37:46 PM Quill: Kenku is a surprisingly hard word to rhyme correctly. 7:38:08 PM Quill: What's your idea? 7:38:28 PM Rune: ... it is, you're not wrong. 7:39:02 PM Rune: Well, Hank is the only really official member of the guard and the only person with a badge. I mean, he doesn't look like a guard because he's got the new armor now, which is good. We don't want to stand out any more than we already do. 7:39:16 PM Rune: But sometimes it's nice to have a badge to show people so that they know you're actually working for the city. 7:39:34 PM Quill: That is true. I've been wanting a badge for awhile. 7:40:07 PM Rune: And a name so that people know what to call you is helpful too. So I thought about names. 7:40:38 PM Rune: Pending William's approval obviously. I mean, it might be really a stupid name. I'm a wizard, not a things-namer. 7:41:09 PM Josh: Taeral: "I'm sure he'll approve. I like it." 7:41:19 PM Rune: How about Advance Extraplanar Guard and Integration Specialists? AEGIS for short. 7:41:43 PM Anna: I do like the acronym. 7:41:55 PM Quill: Oh, that's good. 7:42:15 PM Rune: I kind of... sketched out what a badge could look like too. 7:42:19 PM Anna: Perhaps that's just because I was in the military for a time, but I like it, regardless. 7:43:29 PM Rune: Rune pushes a piece of paper into the middle of the table with a rough sketch on it. It's round, with a five-petalled flower, each with a letter on it spelling "AEGIS," but the flower's petals are basically in the image of Hank's badge--each is a diamond showing the city. 7:44:12 PM Rune: The flower for Verenestra and the diamonds are Titania again, but also show we're part of the guard like Hank's badge does. 7:44:56 PM Josh: As you're talking, Gerald comes out with some breakfast. It's quite good. 7:45:21 PM Rune: Thank you, Gerald. I think we'd have starved to death without you. 7:45:41 PM Quill: Quill gives a thumbs up to Gerald. 7:45:53 PM Josh: Gerald: "Doubtful, but the compliment is appreciated, Miss Rune." 7:46:02 PM Josh: Gerald nods towards Quill. 7:46:49 PM Josh: Gerald: "Oh, Mister Quill. Miss Lyvhyssa said she had an errand to run and would be back shortly." 7:47:18 PM Josh: Gerald: "She instructed me to not let you die until she came back. But, I assume you can handle most of that, yourself?" 7:48:10 PM Quill: No promises. 7:48:38 PM Josh: Gerald: "Most comforting, thank you." 7:48:47 PM Rune: I think we'd all rather you not die, please. 7:48:48 PM Quill: Where'd she go, did she say? 7:49:19 PM Josh: Gerald: "Not sure. She said she'd be back before sundown." 7:49:23 PM Quill: Oh, I'll try my damndest not to die, I assure you, but promises on that regard seem hollow. 7:49:34 PM Rune: Anyway, that's my idea, I was going to show it to William next time he turns up. 7:49:38 PM Josh: Gerald: "Also that she was taking 50 gold with her." 7:49:52 PM Josh: Gerald looks over the symbol. "Oh, that's lovely." 7:51:03 PM Rune: Rune goes a bit blue in the face. "I hope William likes it." 7:51:37 PM Quill: I like the badge. I mean, I'm still a bit nervous about supporting a second Fae queen, but. 7:51:51 PM Hank: Its a good idea and a good design , I think William will like it. 7:52:14 PM Rune: Rune beams. 7:52:26 PM Rune: Well, I'll ask when I can. 7:52:28 PM Anna: You'll have to forgive me for not wearing that openly. It's hard enough for me to stay unnoticed, being that I have to wear this thing everywhere. 7:52:38 PM Anna: Anna gestures at her chest. 7:52:38 PM Rune: Apparently the whole department needs new cuffs. 7:53:44 PM Hank: Meanwhile I did some investigating into the group that took the egg from Black. and attacked us at the tavern. 7:53:58 PM Rune: What did you find out? 7:54:31 PM Rune: I don't think any of us should wear it openly, it'd be better to have it on a necklace or something and take it out if needed. Or a pocket. 7:54:34 PM Josh: ((Sorry Anna, skype burped. You only just jumped in.)) 7:55:39 PM Hank: The elf and the man with the weird leg had run into Kobash before hand. Also they apparently are associated with the name "Gang of cloaks". 7:56:06 PM Quill: Yeah, the point of having a badge is being able to pull it out after you've cause some kind of massive problem. 7:56:29 PM Hank: As for the attack site they had preset crossbows on the roofs and this cloth. 7:56:42 PM Hank: Hank puts the cloth on a table. 7:57:33 PM Josh: The cloth is large, like a small blanket sized and has a strange coloration to it. Sort of a green and light brown mix. 7:57:44 PM Rune: ... what does it do? 7:58:35 PM Hank: No clue. 7:58:48 PM Rune: Rune puts it over her head. 7:59:11 PM Josh: Ok...you are now a weirdly colored ghost. 7:59:39 PM Josh: The horns create a strange pattern up top. 7:59:43 PM Quill: ...spooky. 8:00:31 PM Rune: What happened? 8:00:35 PM Rune: I can't tell any difference. 8:00:48 PM Quill: Nothing, you just have a blanket over you. 8:01:32 PM Rune: Oh. 8:01:37 PM Rune: Rune laughs. 8:01:49 PM Rune: Rune takes it off her head and looks at it carefully. 8:02:24 PM Rune: What do you think, Taeral? 8:02:37 PM Josh: Taeral: "Let me see here, hm..." 8:03:41 PM Josh: Taeral: "I cannot be sure without an identify spell, but this reminds me of a cloak of elvenkind, but much cruder. If a trigger is activated, I'd imagine it could blend in with the environment it's resting on, to hide anything under it." 8:03:55 PM Josh: Taeral: "Of course, to know the trigger, we'd have to find the owner." 8:04:05 PM Rune: ... or do some sort of magic. Drat. 8:04:12 PM Josh: Taeral: "Or a wizard with some identification skill." 8:04:16 PM Josh: Taeral: "Yes. 8:04:41 PM Quill: Quill shakes his head. "Yeah, I'm a pretty useless magically." 8:05:41 PM Josh: Taeral: "If I had a body and supplies, I could cast identify." 8:05:48 PM Josh: Taeral: "But..." 8:06:13 PM Rune: ... well, I'd say you could use mine, but that would be weird. And I don't know if you could anyway. 8:06:31 PM Josh: Taeral: "...I may be able to walk you through it, Rune. If you wish." 8:06:43 PM Josh: Taeral: "It's a first level spell, so, pretty easy to pick up." 8:07:03 PM Rune: Let's try it. 8:07:10 PM Josh: Taeral: "Ok then." 8:07:24 PM Rune: I can get the level 1 primer too if you think that would help. 8:08:28 PM Josh: Taeral: "Couldn't hurt." 8:08:46 PM Josh: Ok, so, to perform the spell, make an arcana check with advantage, because of the books. 8:09:11 PM Josh: Also, you will need to burn 100 gp from your main supply. 8:09:20 PM Josh: For the necessary components. 8:11:03 PM Rune: Rune does. 8:11:18 PM Josh: As Taeral walks her through the ritual, which involves a feather from a willing kenku and a pearl pulled from your supply, Rune's eyes go completely white and glow. A light shines from her hand which is placed on the cloth. 8:13:41 PM Quill: Quill watches, interested. 8:16:19 PM Rune: Oh, I know the word. 8:16:44 PM Rune: It's a cape of elvenkind but don't say the other word around it because then it activates. 8:17:00 PM Rune: And it lasts ten hours. That might be handy for Creed. 8:17:13 PM Quill: What other word? 8:18:14 PM Rune: The word that isn't cape but is like it, but please don't say it or it'll activate. 8:18:31 PM Anna: Ah. Understood. 8:19:43 PM Quill: That seems really inefficient, though. 8:21:56 PM Rune: Well, it isn't the best option. 8:23:38 PM Rune: What's on the schedule for today? 8:24:04 PM Josh: Taeral: "That is a very good question." 8:24:14 PM Quill: I have no idea. 8:24:39 PM Josh: Taeral: "Usually, it's around this time that someone stops by and tells us to do something." 8:25:27 PM Quill: Good point. 8:25:31 PM Quill: Quill looks warily at the door. 8:26:31 PM Josh: ...nothing happens. 8:26:49 PM Josh: And then there's a knocking. 8:27:43 PM Hank: Hank opens the door 8:28:04 PM Hank: Good Morning. 8:28:05 PM Josh: Nahaliel is standing there, with his two Aarakocra friends. 8:28:17 PM Josh: Nahaliel: "Hello, um...is Anna home?" 8:28:25 PM Josh: He's holding a small box. 8:28:27 PM Hank: yes 8:28:31 PM Anna: Hello? 8:28:46 PM Josh: Nahaliel smiles. "Hi...um...how are you?" 8:29:20 PM Quill: Ah, angel-guy. 8:29:34 PM Josh: Nahaliel: "Yes...may I come in?" 8:29:55 PM Rune: If Anna says so. 8:30:04 PM Anna: I am alright. How have you been? Has the plane been treating you well? 8:30:12 PM Anna: You may. 8:31:02 PM Josh: They come in. At seeing Gerald and the two kenku, the Aarakocra squak threateningly, but Nahaliel holds them back. 8:31:21 PM Rune: Would you like some tea and biscuits? 8:31:30 PM Josh: Nahaliel: "Um...the plane's been...fine. I mean...it's not heaven but...what'cha gonna do, right? Yes, that sounds lovely." 8:31:33 PM Rune: Cookies I think they call them here. 8:31:57 PM Rune: Rune pours him and the two eagle-men tea and fetches a plate of cookies. 8:32:34 PM Josh: The eagle-men ignore the tea, but the angel drinks it. The two of them don't take their eyes off Gerald, who doesn't seem too happy about them either. 8:33:08 PM Josh: Nahaliel: "Um...so...Anna...could we talk...in private?" 8:33:47 PM Anna: Alright? 8:34:43 PM Anna: My room is over there, we can probably find some privacy there. 8:34:56 PM Josh: Nahaliel nods and follows you there. 8:35:24 PM Josh: Gerald looking at the eagle-men say "Maybe me and my friends should clean another part of the facility for now." 8:35:33 PM Josh: Gerald: "Just for the time being." 8:35:51 PM Quill: They're the guests, Gerald, you don't have to go anywhere unless you want to. 8:36:19 PM Rune: Right. 8:36:19 PM Quill: Quill eyes the Aarakoa. "We're all civilized entities here, right?" 8:36:26 PM Rune: Besides, I'm sure they can be nice too. 8:37:04 PM Josh: They look at Quill and Rune. 8:38:11 PM Rune: So how has your work been since we saw you last? Lots of, er... goodness? 8:38:48 PM Josh: ((Who?)) 8:39:01 PM Quill: ((I assume she's talking to the bird-men.)) 8:39:15 PM Rune: Rune is. 8:39:47 PM Josh: They look at you, half in disdain, the other in confusion. 8:40:26 PM Josh: Gerald: "They don't speak common. They understand it, but they won't speak it." 8:40:32 PM Josh: Gerald: "It's not their way." 8:41:06 PM Quill: Oh, good. That makes this super not-awkward. 8:41:18 PM Rune: Well they don't have to speak to nod, anyway. 8:41:30 PM Quill: Quill grins and grabs his lute. "Hey, if you don't want me to play a song I know about dogs, just say so." 8:41:54 PM Josh: The two squint their eyes at you. The first one nods at Rune, though. 8:43:11 PM Rune: We are too. There's a group of street kids we're feeding and of course we took in the kenku who needed a home. 8:44:22 PM Quill: Quill sings a song about dogs. 8:45:10 PM Josh: The aarakocra says something in celestial. 8:45:51 PM Quill: Quill does not speak celestial and keeps playing. 8:46:35 PM Rune: I'm not patronizing you, I'm not paining you with my accent. 8:46:54 PM Josh: The one who wasn't talking smirks. 8:47:17 PM Quill: ...and here is the second song I know about dogs. It's not as good as the first one and it's kind of dirty in places. 8:47:20 PM Quill: Here we go. 8:47:24 PM Quill: Quill plays. 8:48:29 PM Josh: Belza comes out. She looks desheveled and ill. In very broken common she says "Noise....loud..." 8:50:22 PM Rune: Good morning, Belza. These are Anna's friend's friends. 8:50:29 PM Rune: Are you all right? 8:50:43 PM Quill: Looks and sounds like a hangover. 8:51:12 PM Josh: Belza: "Fine..." 8:51:31 PM Josh: With that she turns a deep shade of green and runs back into her room. You hear vomitting. 8:52:13 PM Quill: Quill makes a face while still playing. "Ew.. We're going to have to presti that." 8:52:22 PM Rune: Rune goes a bit off-color herself. 8:52:28 PM Rune: We're going to have to presti that a lot. 8:52:29 PM Josh: ((Each room has toilets.)) 8:52:30 PM Rune: Poor Belza. 8:52:37 PM Quill: ((If she made it.)) 8:52:51 PM Josh: ((True)) 8:53:13 PM Josh: Tiprus come out of the room. Looking much better than her sestra. 8:53:53 PM Rune: Hello Tiprus! We have some celestials here, hopefully nobody will get all fighty. 8:54:36 PM Josh: Tiprus seems to get the gist of what you said and nods. She waves at the two aarakocra. 8:55:46 PM Rune: Rune eyes them. "Are you sure you're good?" 8:56:13 PM Josh: They nod. 8:56:14 PM Anna: Anna walks back into the room, stashing a smal box under her cloak. 8:56:34 PM Rune: I mean, I know good and nice aren't the same. 8:57:13 PM Josh: Nahaliel enters too. "Right, well, good seeing you all again. Have a good day. Good day." He then repeats good day in infernal to Rune and Tiprus. And in undercommon to Quill. 8:57:47 PM Quill: Quill nods at him, and winks at the bird men. 8:57:52 PM Quill: At least he seems nice. 8:57:55 PM Quill: Nicer. 8:58:00 PM Quill: Making an effort, anyway. 8:58:05 PM Rune: Rune answers him in Celestial, very careful with the pronunciation. "Good day, stop by again sometime." 8:58:26 PM Josh: He smiles at you and nods. He then takes the eaglemen out and they fly off. 8:58:42 PM Rune: I think we've upset their worldview. 8:59:02 PM Josh: Gerald: "Possibly, Miss Rune." 8:59:54 PM Rune: ... I was raised by a succubus, you know. And she was very good. And also nice sometimes, but good. 9:03:11 PM Josh: Tiprus and Rune are conversing in Infernal. 9:03:36 PM Quill: Quill goes back to working in his notebook. "How'd it go, Anna?" 9:04:16 PM Anna: Well, I've got a lead on possibly regaining my memories. 9:04:47 PM Anna: Anna pulls out the box and opens it, revealing a circlet. 9:05:04 PM Anna: Apparently this was mine, before. 9:05:53 PM Quill: Quill nods. "Okay. It it magical?" 9:06:36 PM Rune: Oh, that's lovely. ... do you want to regain your memories? 9:07:40 PM Anna: Possibly, if only because most things that are as old as this are magical in one way or another. 9:08:03 PM Anna: And yes, if I can keep my current personality. 9:08:54 PM Quill: This is a good question. 9:09:06 PM Josh: Taeral: "That is a very good question." 9:09:32 PM Rune: I mean... they might be good, but... 9:10:19 PM Josh: Tiprus nods at Rune and leaves. Back to her room with Belza. 9:10:41 PM Rune: Rune frowns a little bit, then shakes her head. 9:10:58 PM Rune: I don't know, they just made rather a nasty comment about lice. Which none of the kenku have, I checked. 9:11:26 PM Rune: Poor things, living in a sewer like that. Black is daft. 9:12:01 PM Quill: I can't abide that kind of condescension. 9:12:07 PM Josh: Gerald frowns. 9:12:35 PM Josh: Gerald: "The sewer wasn't a bad location. Above ground we'd've been seen as possibly wild, and killed." 9:12:58 PM Josh: Gerald: "And Captain Black came with distinct advantages." 9:13:05 PM Rune: I suppose that's true. But it's not hygienic. What advantages? 9:13:18 PM Josh: Gerald: "An airship." 9:13:46 PM Rune: That's true. I was hoping they would give it to us at some point. 9:13:48 PM Anna: That is a rather palpable advantage. 9:14:00 PM Quill: ... that's true, airships are pretty cool. 9:14:20 PM Josh: Gerald: "Indeed." 9:14:39 PM Josh: Gerald: "He was also a very caring captain. If a bit...simple-minded." 9:16:11 PM Rune: Very. Were you the real captain? 9:17:11 PM Josh: Gerald: "No. Black made all the calls. I simply helped him do it." 9:18:07 PM Quill: Ahhhh, that makes sense. 9:18:40 PM Rune: Otherwise he'd never have lasted that long. Well, I'm sure they'll let him out eventually. We tried to help. 9:19:11 PM Rune: What does the circlet do, Anna? 9:22:31 PM Anna: I'm not exactly sure. It might directly restore my memories, or it might act as an anchor, to remind me of them. Like a strand of grass that you tie around your finger to remind yourself that you did or need to do something. 9:22:53 PM Anna: And apparently it's not a circlet. Not exactly. 9:23:00 PM Anna: It's my old halo. 9:23:05 PM Quill: ...oh. 9:23:13 PM Rune: A literal halo. 9:23:24 PM Quill: No offense, but that's actually seriously cool, Anna. 9:23:31 PM Rune: It is. 9:23:46 PM Rune: If you want to try it, we can stay with you to make sure you're safe. 9:25:55 PM Anna: I may as well, before some more weirdness finds us. 9:26:42 PM Anna: Anna takes the halo from the box and gingerly places it upon her head. 9:26:56 PM Quill: Quill sets his lute down and watches. 9:27:14 PM Anna: ...I feel silly. 9:27:29 PM Josh: As you take it out, it begins to glow brighter than before. Placing it on top of your head, it glows very bright, but you feel a warmth building inside you. 9:27:37 PM Josh: ...and then it gets warmer. 9:27:43 PM Josh: ...and then hot. 9:27:46 PM Josh: BURNING! 9:27:50 PM Anna: Ow. 9:27:54 PM Anna: OW 9:28:08 PM Rune: Rune grabs it and takes it off her head! 9:28:11 PM Josh: You guys watch as sparks begin to shoot out of Anna's brow. 9:28:11 PM Anna: GAH! 9:28:20 PM Hank: What happened? 9:28:52 PM Josh: Rune, as you grab it, you realize it's spinning really fast! With all your might you manage to wrench it off and throw it to the ground. 9:29:21 PM Josh: A nasty burn mark is left on Anna's metal head. Anna, take 3 points of damage, Rune, take 1, as you see similar burns in your hands. 9:30:06 PM Anna: Anna traces her fingers along the marks. 9:30:16 PM Rune: Rune runs some cool water and puts her hands into the sink, eyes watering a bit. 9:30:31 PM Anna: Darn it, that probably killed all the lichens. Are you alright, Rune? 9:31:02 PM Quill: Quill leans in to look at Anna's head. "Are you okay?" 9:31:10 PM Quill: Quill then turns his attention back to the halo. 9:31:14 PM Hank: ((did it stop moving when it hit the ground?)) 9:31:30 PM Josh: The halo, you now see, is floating above the ground where it landed. 9:31:33 PM Rune: Yes. It just hurt a little, that's all. Well, a lot. I think it was spinning. 9:31:42 PM Josh: Just hovering there. 9:31:53 PM Anna: I'm mostly alright. 9:31:54 PM Rune: Maybe it's not supposed to go directly on your head. 9:32:01 PM Rune: Maybe it... hovers? 9:32:11 PM Anna: Perhaps. 9:33:06 PM Hank: Did Nahaliel give any advice for how to use it? 9:33:24 PM Anna: Anna puts a hand under the halo and slowly raises it, to see if she can get it to hover higher. 9:33:27 PM Rune: Did you tell him you're not .... well, 100 percent? 9:33:35 PM Anna: No, he did not. 9:33:44 PM Josh: As you raise your hand, the halo does hover above it, not making contact. 9:33:46 PM Anna: He knows what I am, now. 9:34:09 PM Josh: It floats just above your palm. 9:34:46 PM Rune: Oh, good. And he didn't try to kill you or anything to try to get her back, that's good. 9:35:00 PM Anna: Exceedingly. 9:35:02 PM Josh: As it hovers there, the moss and mildew that covers you starts to grow down your arm, towards it. 9:35:30 PM Anna: Odd. 9:35:34 PM Josh: Your arm is basically all green now. 9:35:50 PM Josh: And little flowers start to bloom. 9:36:42 PM Rune: Oh, how pretty. 9:36:51 PM Rune: It must be giving off positive energy or something? 9:37:10 PM Anna: Perhaps. 9:37:42 PM Anna: Anna attempts to move it over above her head and let it float there. 9:37:58 PM Josh: You place it above your head and...it does indeed float there. 9:38:07 PM Rune: He seems all right. I'm not terribly sure about his eagle friends, though. They seem a little... well. Judgy. 9:38:13 PM Quill: Well, that would make sense, wouldn't it? Aren't celestial types usually associated with positive energy? 9:38:26 PM Josh: It begins to glow again, and you feel a strange pulsing in your body. 9:38:52 PM Josh: But it feels good. 9:39:06 PM Anna: Anna looks down at her chest. 9:39:22 PM Anna: Is this what it feels like to have a heart? 9:39:55 PM Rune: Oh, a physical one? Maybe. is it beating? 9:40:46 PM Anna: It's... making rythmic pulses. That is what a heart does, usually. 9:41:23 PM Quill: If it's working right, yes. 9:42:16 PM Rune: And then when you're out of breath it beats faster. 9:43:12 PM Anna: Oddly enough, it does actually feel like a heart. Veins, blood, and all. Except not really, I don't think. If I had an organic heart in there there would be so much blood. 9:43:26 PM Anna: It's always more than you'd think. 9:44:25 PM Josh: The moss that had grown on your arm now extends past your arm, flailing off like vines. 9:44:41 PM Rune: Humanoids are quite gooshy inside. 9:45:08 PM Anna: Anna brings that arm over to examine the vines. 9:45:09 PM Quill: That... might be unwieldy. And don't you have a heart when you turn into a squishy animal form? 9:46:28 PM Josh: ((And we lost Anna again)) 9:46:32 PM Josh: ((Fucking skype)) 9:46:42 PM Josh: ((Oh, she's back! Yay!)) 9:47:26 PM Josh: As you raise your arms, the vines move around in a prehensile fashion. And they actually receed a bit. 9:48:13 PM Anna: Indeed, and this does feel similar, but somehow not quite. 9:48:32 PM Anna: Okay, that's certainly new. 9:50:01 PM Rune: And it could be useful, too. 9:50:28 PM Rune: Oh, I wonder if you could grow some flowers in the yard? It's still so... prisony-looking. Probably it's all the barbed wire. 9:50:30 PM Anna: It extends my reach, at very least. 9:50:53 PM Hank: Not exactly inconspicuous though. 9:51:04 PM Anna: Ooh, I could transplant some flowers from one or more of my gardens. 9:51:29 PM Rune: Did you ever find out my cat's name? Or gender? 9:52:30 PM Anna: Unfortunately, no. 9:52:43 PM Anna: Sorry. I had forgotten. 9:52:54 PM Rune: That's all right, there's plenty of time. 9:53:10 PM Rune: Rune smiles. 9:53:15 PM Josh: Another knock comes at the door now. 9:53:25 PM Anna: Hoo boy. 9:53:34 PM Rune: Come in! 9:53:37 PM Josh: You hear the voice of a familiar dwarf guard. "Hey! Anybody home?" 9:53:42 PM Josh: Zeril: "Oh, thanks. 9:53:46 PM Rune: Hullo, Zeril! 9:53:55 PM Josh: Zeril walks in and up to you. 9:54:11 PM Rune: Have some tea and cookies. 9:54:13 PM Josh: Zeril: "Hullo, Rune! Wow, Anna! That's...that's a new look." 9:54:31 PM Josh: Zeril does indeed help himself to tea and especially to cookies. 9:54:39 PM Anna: Druid nonsense. It doesn't quite have the ring of Wizbiz, but it works. 9:55:25 PM Josh: Zeril: "Oh, ok. I don't really know much about any of you magic types." 9:55:53 PM Rune: That's all right, I can't handcuff somebody without breaking their arms. 9:56:16 PM Hank: So what brings you here this morning Zeril? Business or just visiting? 9:56:29 PM Josh: Zeril laughs. "Some of us can't either. And yeah, a bit o' business." 9:57:09 PM Josh: Zeril: "William got called into a meeting. So, I came by to pick up some of those forms for him and drop off some new ones." 9:57:31 PM Rune: Rune hands Zeril the stack. 9:57:36 PM Josh: Zeril holds up a rather large looking file. 9:57:45 PM Hank: Who was he meeting with? 9:58:11 PM Josh: Zeril: "Some tieflings from what I saw. Thought I'd ask Creed about them, given they were all purple." 9:58:25 PM Josh: Zeril: "Y'know, I'm not making assumptions, but...thought I'd ask." 9:58:38 PM Anna: Anna goes off to check on something. for a bit 9:59:19 PM Josh: Zeril takes the stack and hands you the file. 9:59:55 PM Josh: Zeril: "If I had ta guess, I think they're lobbying for a council position. Tieflings have been trying to get an ambassador on there for...geez...decades, I guess." 10:00:00 PM Josh: Zeril: "Longer maybe." 10:00:56 PM Rune: ... I'm not sure if I'd want Creed's family on the council. 10:01:10 PM Rune: Unless it was Creed. 10:01:20 PM Rune: That's interesting. She's still in bed I think. 10:02:13 PM Quill: Yeah, haven't seen her yet. 10:02:17 PM Josh: Zeril: "Yeah, let's not wake her up about this. All sorts of races are meeting with William and other folk at the citadel about this." 10:02:40 PM Josh: Zeril: "There were some orcs yesterday and I think I saw a gnome the day before." 10:03:20 PM Rune: Hmm. 10:03:25 PM Josh: Zeril: "Oh, while I'm here, I have something for you guys too." 10:03:51 PM Josh: Zeril: "Well...more something you guys should see." 10:04:12 PM Rune: What is it? 10:05:10 PM Josh: Zeril pulls a newspaper out of his armor and throws it open on the table. The headline reads "HAVENFALL'S FAR FROM FINEST FRY FAMILY FOODERY" with a picture beneath of Kobash and Hank and Rune seeming to fight around a door with arrows protruding from it. 10:05:48 PM Rune: Far from finest fry.... what does that mean? 10:06:07 PM Rune: That doesn't even have a verb in it. 10:06:12 PM Quill: Oh, this is that reporter, I'll bet. 10:06:22 PM Quill: He was insulting us. 10:06:38 PM Rune: ... after we saved him from a horrible death? 10:06:41 PM Hank: Well we can find out his name at least. 10:06:50 PM Rune: He already told us that. 10:06:53 PM Rune: Rune reads. 10:07:39 PM Quill: ((Did he use my real name or the fake name I gave the inn.)) 10:08:22 PM Hank: How did Kobash react to this Zeril? 10:10:59 PM Josh: Zeril: "Not well at all. Um...you guys might be getting a request for more desks soon, too." 10:11:25 PM Rune: More desks? 10:11:36 PM Josh: Zeril: "To replace the ones Kobash flipped." 10:12:06 PM Rune: Oh. He wasn't even really there. 10:12:24 PM Hank: How many did he flip this time? 10:12:36 PM Hank: Still his name and picture attached to it. 10:12:48 PM Josh: Zeril: "Five. And a lamp." 10:13:01 PM Rune: It's just boring old racism. Nothing to be done about it, though--you can't win on things like this. 10:13:07 PM Josh: Zeril: "That orc rage man...no offense." 10:13:25 PM Rune: If you talk to them more they'll just take what you say out of context, and if you don't they'll just go on insinuating. 10:14:05 PM Rune: And you can't earn any goodwill with them either, because we already saved his life and if that didn't do it, well... nothing will. 10:14:43 PM Hank: At least he doesn't know we were completely conned by three people. 10:14:44 PM Josh: Zeril: "Never head of this Mansfield guy before. You guys met him there?" 10:15:07 PM Josh: Zeril: "Actually, that comes up later." 10:15:18 PM Josh: Zeril: "When you continue on page 3." 10:15:28 PM Rune: Rune turns ahead. 10:16:15 PM Anna: Anna turns up again. 10:16:16 PM Hank: I would read the article but I would probably break our furniture here if I did. 10:16:30 PM Quill: Quill reads as well. 10:17:04 PM Rune: You're not a ragemonster, Hank. You're very sweet. 10:17:17 PM Josh: Zeril: "Best to ignore it really. Cunningham's been turning this paper into an anti-free people's rag since he got it from his pop...who was doing the same thing before him." 10:17:36 PM Rune: What's the rival paper called? 10:18:17 PM Josh: Zeril: "The Weekly Wyvern." 10:18:41 PM Rune: So if we get anything juicy we'll take it to them. 10:19:04 PM Josh: Zeril: "Well, most stuff we don't leak to the press, but...yeah, best if they got the story first." 10:19:48 PM Rune: I'd say we should get a token human, but we already have Anna. 10:19:51 PM Hank: So do you think Mansfield had a tip that something was going to happen at the green dragon? 10:19:59 PM Rune: And obviously that didn't help. 10:20:14 PM Josh: You turn to Anna, who's now covered in moss and has a glowing ring above her head. 10:20:21 PM Josh: You know, as humans do. 10:20:26 PM Anna: I think I was still a bear, at that point. 10:20:51 PM Josh: Zeril: "I don't see why else a reporter would be there." 10:21:01 PM Josh: Zeril: "Then the question is, who tipped him?" 10:21:34 PM Rune: Them. We actually don't know if he wrote the bad parts. 10:21:46 PM Rune: It's a double byline with an editor we know to be racially biased. 10:22:13 PM Quill: Quill thinks. "Someone who would know we had been assigned tehre." 10:22:17 PM Rune: Of course, if I had a boss like that I would try awfully hard to find a different job. 10:22:30 PM Rune: So the Dragonborn ambassador? 10:22:42 PM Rune: Or someone he tipped off. 10:24:01 PM Hank: Argesh would make the most sense. Unless the three attackers wanted a reporter there for some reason. 10:24:51 PM Josh: Zeril: "Why would three criminals want a reporter on the scene?" Taeral: "Glory, prestige, just a good ego-stroking?" 10:25:17 PM Rune: It was probably Argesh, and I'm sure he knew they were a racist publication. 10:25:38 PM Rune: ... most of them are anyway, but not usually so overtly. 10:26:02 PM Josh: Zeril: "Oh no, Cunningham loves the Dragonborn. Thinks they shit gold and spit diamonds." 10:26:30 PM Josh: Zeril: "Us dwarves, Dragonborn, Humans, some elves...basically, any of the "empire" races." 10:26:31 PM Rune: Oh no, I mean us. 10:26:41 PM Rune: He knew they'd write bad things about us. 10:26:51 PM Josh: Zeril: "Oh...yeah, that makes sense." 10:27:03 PM Josh: Zeril: "What does Argesh get by humiliating you, though?" 10:27:25 PM Rune: I don't know, but I'm sure it's something. 10:27:33 PM Rune: Rune shrugs. 10:27:36 PM Josh: Zeril: "...oh...Oh...unless it wasn't about you." 10:27:49 PM Rune: It could be a hit against Steelfarmer. 10:28:11 PM Hank: And we have no proof he did it as well. 10:28:18 PM Rune: Or something else. I've no idea of the higher level politics in this city. 10:29:18 PM Josh: Zeril: "I learn what I heard, and I know Argesh eyes bigger, better jobs than he's go now. And Steelfarmer may not be a politician, exactly, but he gets a say in everything the council does." 10:29:52 PM Quill: Quill nods. "Making the government as it stands look ruinous and incompetent could further his agendas easily." 10:30:55 PM Rune: Well, now we know. I'm a little surprised William didn't. 10:31:07 PM Josh: Zeril: "Maybe he did." 10:31:27 PM Josh: Zeril: "I like Steelfarmer...but I never know what that guy's really thinking, y'know?" 10:31:57 PM Quill: ... if this goes down a path of 'I think he knew I know he knew', I'm going to scream. FAir warning. 10:32:17 PM Anna: Fair enough. 10:32:17 PM Rune: I'd hope he wouldn't sell us out like that. 10:32:25 PM Josh: Zeril: "Look, I don't know anything. But I thought you should know what was being said." 10:33:04 PM Quill: Thanks, Zeril. 10:33:19 PM Josh: Zeril smiles and nods. "And, with that, I should be off." 10:33:40 PM Josh: Zeril then spots the other paper on the table. The AEGIS logo. 10:33:45 PM Josh: Zeril: "What that?" 10:33:58 PM Rune: Rune goes a bit blue. 10:34:04 PM Rune: Oh, just an idea I had. 10:34:20 PM Rune: A thing to call ourselves, so people know who we are. 10:34:32 PM Rune: But it's up to Steelfarmer, of course. 10:34:45 PM Josh: Zeril: "Well, I'll pass this along then." 10:35:08 PM Anna: Anna waves at him as he leaves, possibly knocking into a ceiling lamp, if we have those. 10:35:29 PM Josh: Zeril waves back. 10:35:41 PM Josh: ((You do not have a ceiling lamp that I know of)) 10:35:54 PM Josh: Zeril leaves. 10:36:07 PM Quill: I definitely like it better than 'Havenfall's Far From Finest'. 10:36:27 PM Rune: Well, I was hoping to get out ahead of that sort of thing. 10:36:33 PM Rune: But we didn't. 10:36:53 PM Hank: So currently the only politician we think we can trust is Rosa? 10:37:17 PM Rune: They're politicians, we can't trust any of them. 10:37:20 PM Anna: Well, we'll just have to do our best to frame people's perceptions of us as much as we can, going forward. 10:37:38 PM Rune: Rosa is all right as far as they go, and so is Steelfarmer. 10:38:11 PM Josh: Taeral: "To be fair, we haven't met the dwarf ambassador. Or the mayor or any of his people, for that matter." 10:38:29 PM Josh: Taeral: "I really should've paid more attention to politics when I was alive." 10:39:28 PM Rune: At this point I think we ought to leave it to William. 10:39:33 PM Josh: Gerald: "I'm not the most knowledgeable person on these things, but walking around with a bonafide glowing angel should be good for PR, shouldn't it?" 10:39:40 PM Rune: He knows what's happening at that level better than we do. 10:40:15 PM Rune: The other angel smashed a statue and frightened a churchful of people, so I'm not totally sure that would help. 10:40:45 PM Quill: Quill nods vigorously. "He was a bit of a dick when we met. He's gotten better, though." 10:41:41 PM Rune: We could try to find out if it was the reporter or the editor who sandbagged us, but it probably doesn't matter from a functional standpoint. 10:41:41 PM Josh: ((At some point, I need to write the story of the Nose Holy War. Expand the universe. :) )) 10:42:09 PM Hank: What time did Lyv leave Gerald, we have been up for quite a while and she isn't back yet. 10:42:46 PM Josh: Gerald: "Shortly after I awoke. She was all dressed and leaving." 10:42:57 PM Josh: Gerald: "Not sure when she'll--" 10:43:03 PM Josh: Lyv comes in through the door. 10:43:10 PM Rune: Oh good, she's not dead. 10:43:49 PM Josh: Lyv: "Of course not. I could probably kill anyone who attacked me. Well, almost anyone. I could kill most of you, but if you ganged up on me, that'd be difficult." 10:44:01 PM Anna: Hello, Lyv. Please excuse my current appearance. 10:44:18 PM Josh: Lyv: "...you changed your everything." 10:44:20 PM Rune: I more meant something like a brick falling on your head, but probably. 10:44:34 PM Josh: Lyv: "You're all green now. And with a bright yellow light over your head." 10:45:02 PM Anna: Apparently this is what a halo does to someone with a residual coating of plantlife. 10:45:04 PM Josh: Lyv: "...looks gross. I don't like it." 10:45:39 PM Anna: Well, I think it helps me reach things better. 10:46:03 PM Anna: Anna extends a vine to see if she can touch the ceiling with it, experimentally. 10:46:09 PM Rune: I think it's pretty. 10:46:14 PM Quill: I think it looks pretty cool, myself. 10:47:09 PM Josh: A vine shoots out and snaps up about...five feet, but does not reach the ceiling which is very high. 10:47:34 PM Anna: Hm. Still a very impressive range. 10:48:43 PM Hank: Can the vines hold or lift things, also what happens if you turn into an animal? 10:49:06 PM Anna: I was wondering about the second question, myself. 10:50:17 PM Anna: Anna shifts into a kitty! (and prepares to leap away if the halo falls too fast) 10:50:37 PM Josh: The halo shrinks down and stays hovering above Anna's head. 10:50:39 PM Rune: You're adorable! Don't forget to ask my cat. 10:50:58 PM Anna: Miu! 10:51:00 PM Josh: Rune's cat comes out and investigates the glowing kitty. 10:51:08 PM Quill: ....wow, that's pretty neat. 10:52:28 PM Rune: Rune sighs. 10:52:54 PM Rune: Well, it was a nice morning anyway. I don't think I like reporters. Lyv, where did you go, anyway? 10:53:22 PM Josh: Lyv pulls out what looks like a small ball of ice, with markings all around it. 10:53:32 PM Josh: Lyv: "Reconnaissance." 10:53:48 PM Josh: Lyv: "We're trying to track Neifron's movements." 10:54:17 PM Quill: Quill raises an eyebrow. "Oh, good. Some kinda of scrying snowball?" 10:55:19 PM Rune: That's pretty. 10:55:40 PM Josh: Lyv: "...no, it's a message." 10:55:52 PM Josh: Lyv: "A scrying snowball would just be silly." 10:56:07 PM Quill: Of course. 10:58:11 PM Josh: Lyv: "They think they heard of something like him heading west from here. They're trying to drop him pictures of our wedding, see how he reacts." 10:58:20 PM Josh: Lyv: "If he buys it, he may leave you alone." 10:58:40 PM Quill: Quill nods. "Then you can return to your home." 10:58:48 PM Josh: Lyv: "Exactly." 10:59:38 PM Josh: Lyv: "Weird part, though...they said he was getting on a ship." 11:00:01 PM Rune: Hopefully not an airship. 11:00:17 PM Josh: Lyv: "No, a ship ship. He was on the coast." 11:00:19 PM Rune: Do you want to go back home? 11:00:28 PM Josh: Lyv: "Why wouldn't I?" 11:00:56 PM Hank: Do they know where the ship was headed? 11:01:10 PM Josh: Lyv: "No, they couldn't get close enough for that." 11:01:28 PM Josh: Lyv: "Sprites. Only so much they can do." 11:02:11 PM Josh: ((I think we lost Anna, again)) 11:02:34 PM Rune: Oh, the little doll men. 11:02:40 PM Quill: ... you don't suppose he's returning to Enora, do you? 11:02:47 PM Rune: Did you tell them about the captain? 11:02:58 PM Josh: Lyv: "...if he doesn't know you're here, he might be." 11:03:34 PM Josh: Lyv: "Captain?" 11:03:51 PM Quill: Verenestra. 11:04:07 PM Josh: Lyv: "Oh, no." 11:04:24 PM Josh: Lyv: "I see no reason to share my disappointment." 11:07:26 PM Josh: Lyv: "I also bought you this." 11:07:39 PM Josh: Lyv pulls out a wide brimmed black hat for Quill. 11:07:54 PM Anna: Anna is a warforged again, flowers and all. 11:07:57 PM Josh: Lyv: "I thought it went with the shades." 11:08:11 PM Quill: Quill blinks. "Wow, that is a great hat. Thank you, genuine wife!" 11:08:16 PM Rune: That will look very nice together. 11:08:21 PM Quill: Quill puts the hat on. 11:08:23 PM Rune: Will your aunts be all right, Quill? 11:08:30 PM Quill: Quill frowns. 11:08:34 PM Quill: Hope so. 11:08:53 PM Quill: I should send a letter home just in case. 11:09:04 PM Anna: It turns out your cat is called "Tom Cat", although he said he doesn't have a "real" name. 11:09:51 PM Josh: Lyv: "I'm sure they'll be fine. Spike and Strike are good spies and they have a trick or two." 11:10:17 PM Rune: Oh, he's a boy cat. All right. I wonder if he wants a real name. 11:10:45 PM Josh: Ok, my screen is blinking out, so I'm calling it a night. 11:10:55 PM Josh: Sorry, no real cliffhanger this time.